Governor Charlie Baker, pictured Thursday attending a Massachusetts State House ceremony honoring law enforcement, said he’d back legislation that would ban bump-fire stocks. (Contributed)
BOSTON — Governor Charlie Baker said Thursday he’d back a proposed statewide ban on bump-fire stocks, the add-on equipment authorities claim that a Las Vegas gunman attached to his semiautomatic rifles in order to increase his firing rate.
“Look, that should be outlawed,” Baker told reporters, referring to bump-fire stocks, after attending a ceremony inside the Massachusetts State House honoring law enforcement officers. “And if that were to pass tomorrow, we would sign it.”
According to the Boston Herald, Baker said that while Massachusetts sports some of the “best gun laws in the country,” he added that “there’s always room for improvement.”
On Wednesday state Representative David Linsky (D-Natick) filed legislation that would ban the sale and possession of bump-fire stocks in Massachusetts. According to authorities, Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock was found to have a dozen bump-fire stocks in his possession inside the Mandalay Bay hotel room he used as his vantage point for killing nearly 60 and injuring nearly 500 patrons of a country music festival Sunday night.
Bump-fire stocks are designed to make AR or AK-style semi-automatic rifles utilize the energy derived from the kickback, or recoil, from firing the gun, thus increasing trigger action:
Hours after Baker went on the record regarding his support for a bump stock ban, National Rifle Association chief executive officer Wayne LaPierre and executive director Chris Cox issued a joint statement calling on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to investigate whether bump stocks comply with federal law.
“In Las Vegas, reports indicate that certain devices were used to modify the firearms involved,” the statement read. “Despite the fact that the Obama administration approved the sale of bump-fire stocks on at least two occasions, the NRA is calling on the BATFE to immediately review whether these devices comply with federal law.
“The NRA believes that devices designed to allow semi-automatic rifles to function like fully-automatic rifles should be subject to additional regulations. In an increasingly dangerous world, the NRA remains focused on our mission: strengthening Americans’ Second Amendment freedom to defend themselves, their families, and their communities.”
Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, Linsky’s bill would not only ban bump-fire stocks but also would outlaw high-capacity magazines containing 10 rounds of ammunition or more, ending a grandfather rule enacted decades ago.
Governor Charlie Baker, pictured Thursday attending a Massachusetts State House ceremony honoring law enforcement, said he’d back legislation that would ban bump-fire stocks. (Contributed) 
